Gandhinagar assembly election: Anti-incumbency double-edged, guarantees to blunt advantage

BENGALURU: A four-cornered fight in Gandhinagar constituency is making things difficult for five-time Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao, who is seeking re-election.
The BJP's Sapthagiri Gowda, son of former minister Ramachandra Gowda, and JD(S) leader V Narayanaswamy, who had lost to Dinesh in the last election, are back in the fray. But the last-minute entry of former minister Krisshnaiah Setty Es En Maluru as an independent has changed things.

Dinesh is banking on his individual charisma and anti-incumbency against the BJP regime in the state. With the constituency having over 52 slums and a majority of voters belonging to the working and lower middle classes, he is hoping Congress' five big poll promises, including free power up to 200 units and 10kg rice per month per BPL family, will cut ice with these groups and help him sail through. The constituency also has a huge Tamil population, and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam even won the seat in 1994.
Civic and mobility issues that the constituency, which includes Bengaluru's oldest areas such as Cottonpet and Balepet, is facing in terms of traffic snarls, congested roads, parking woes, overflowing drainages, lack of footpaths, and proper water supply may cast a shadow on his hopes. He has been representing it for over two decades.
Sapthagiri Gowda and Narayanaswamy had secured over 35,000-37,000 votes each in 2018, and the division of votes between them ensured Dinesh's victory. The Congress leader is hoping for a repeat this year too. In fact, Setty's entry may have increased his chances as Congress workers think there will be a further division of votes. "The BJP candidate is only creating hype, he has no support on the ground. Those campaigning for him are all outsiders. After he lost in 2018, he never visited the constituency," said N Dakshina Murthy, Bengaluru Urban district congress committee member.
"I will win for sure. There is a strong anti-incumbency wave against Dinesh Gundu Rao. This is stronger than anything alleged against our government. Voters here are seeking a change," the BJP candidate said.
BJP's hopes have received a further boost with two former Congress corporators joining its ranks. With Tamil Nadu BJP chief and former IPS officer K Annamalai having toured the segment twice, party workers are confident the Tamil voters will prefer Sapthagiri Gowda to Dinesh.
Narayanaswamy, who runs an educational institution, is also making noise with his campaign. Besides his party's Pancharatna assurances, he is promising to provide better facilities.
Setty, who entered the fray after being denied ticket by BJP, is out to prove a point to the BJP leadership. Known for his social work and sending people on pilgrimage, Setty has promised to build 10,000 houses for the poor and feed 10 people every day for every vote he gets.
"The fact that there are still 52 slums here tells us of Dinesh's failure," Setty told TOI. With the potential to eat into the votes of all three major parties, Setty, who is also being backed by the Bahujan Samaj Party, is likely to emerge as a key disruptor.